Rural settlement within the hinterland of conurbations

Reference: Harper, Sarah., (1985). Rural settlement within the hinterland of conurbations. Dphil. University of Oxford.Citable link to this page:

Rural settlement within the hinterland of conurbations Subtitle: Case studies from Staffordshire and Hampshire

Abstract: The post war years have seen a steady flow of inmigrationinto the rural hinterlands of conurbations, eminating both fromthe surrounding rural areas and from the urban complexesthemselves. By 1981 over one fifth of Britain's populationwas resident in a rural district, the majority falling withinzones close to urban centres. This study, based on one year'sparticipant observation in seven settlements within southernStaffordshire, part of the rural hinterland of the West MidlandsConurbation, and southern Hampshire, adjacent to the Southampton- Portsmouth axis, the South Hampshire Conurbation, assessthis process. Using the technique of Cluster Analysis, threebroad groupings of settlement are identified: the smallagricultural settlement, the urbanised commuter village,and settlements in a process of transition between the two.The development of the case settlements, representatives ofthese three groupings, is assessed in relation to theirhistorical and geographical context, with emphasis beingplaced on land tenure and local planning policy. An analysisis undertaken of the hinterland population, the diversepopulations now resident within the rural hinterlands. Ninebroad groupings emerge from this population, identifiablewith reference to socio-economic characteristics and waysof life, and these are examined in relation to their use,their environments, social networks and patterns of behaviour,and perceptions of their place of residence. These groupsare represented in various proportions within each settlementtype, in relation to the dominant housing class found there.As a result a variety of community forms are seen to bedeveloping, with a polarisation of settlements along classlines. Running concurrently with this, two theoreticalconcepts are introduced based on the approach of SymbolicInteractionism. These are the Triadic Relationship, andPlace Centredness, which provide a more humanistic frameworkfor the analysis. The inclusion of these concepts enablesan assessment to be made of the notions of rurality andtruly rural population.

Type of Award:Dphil Level of Award:Doctoral Awarding Institution: University of Oxford Notes:The digital copy of this thesis has been made available thanks to the generosity of Dr Leonard Polonsky